Creating a handler certification as well as a horse registration program has been a long-time goal of ours. We want to create a standard of excellence across the world of miniature therapy horses and animal assisted activities. Over the past few years, we have been teaching those across the country to replicate what we do; and by using that same material - we are creating a certification program to carry that excellence throughout the industry.

There are still details to work out; but we wanted to share the ideas we have for those who want to stay in the loop during this process.

Overview

MINIATURE THERAPY HORSES 103

This seminar is for those interested in handler certification! Miniature Therapy Horses 103 is available entirely online, so anyone around the world can work thru the materials, quizzes, and become certified as a miniature therapy horse handler.

What you will receive:

In the mail:

100+ page bound student guide and

DuPont healthcare training booklets with quizzes.

Through email:

Secure link with access to lecture videos, YouTube videos, and additional materials. There will be linked tests over each individual section, as well as a final exam.

To receive your handler certification, you will have to:

a) watch the lecture over the section;

b) complete a quiz after each lecture video;

c) watch any additional videos to reinforce the materials;

d) complete quizzes in the additional training series over specialized human resources and healthcare;

e) record videos of handling during visits;

f) provide a background check and;

g) complete a final exam.

After sending in the completed quizzes, background check and passing the final exam; expect an e-version of your Miniature Therapy Horse Handler Certification.

MINIATURE THERAPY HORSES 104

This handler certification program is geared for participants who have been through another one of our seminars. We highly recommendfinishing either Miniature Therapy Horses 102 or 103, after which you can register for the Miniature Therapy Horses 104 course.

Locations:

Ohio,

California,

Missouri,

Oregon, and

Florida.

This entirely hands-on seminar is to enhance everything you have learned in Miniature Therapy Horses 101, 102 and 103 to give you a full understanding of training and handling miniature therapy horses. You do not need to bring your own horses, all horses will be provided by the host farm.

Details:

1-day Saturday course (dates TBD)

9:00am - 7:30pm

Lunch and dinner are provided

Question & Answer sessions over meals

Limited class size: 10 participants

Full day of hands-on training with Lisa Moad & staff

Final exam after dinner

The exams will be graded by Lisa Moad and her staff; upon completion and passing of the exam, expect an e-version of your Advanced Miniature Therapy Horse Handler Certification.

INTERESTED?

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Miniature Therapy Horses 103 - Handler Certification

Miniature Therapy Horses 104 in Ohio

Miniature Therapy Horses 104 in California

Miniature Therapy Horses 104 in Missouri

Miniature Therapy Horses 104 in Oregon

Miniature Therapy Horses 104 in Florida

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If you are interested in hosting a 104 seminar, please let us know; we would love to connect!

Great Facility Visits

When you make visits to over 75 assisted living facilities, you see a lot and learn a lot. We began to put together a list for activities directors so they could be prepared for the horses when we arrived. The list of tips was handed out during the pre-visit; we wanted to keep our staff and horses as well as the residents safe.

REMEMBER YOUR PRE-VISIT!

Being the directions and map genius of the group; Kate would make the pre-visit. She drove to the facility about a week or two in advance to meet the activities director and hand them a pre-visit packet with written documents about who we are, what all our handlers are required to go through and health certificates for all the therapy horses. We also include information about what a typical donation amount would be and why we need the donation, our W-9 form and tips to make the visit safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Tips for a Great Visit #1

A while back we posted our first tip for a great visit: #1 During every visit we provide for your facility, please have an activities director or staff member escort our teams for the entirety of the visit. If our team is left unattended for any reason we will terminate the visit. We make this explicitly clear during the pre-visit to make sure we are not trapped in a lockdown unit or walk into a quarantined room without prior knowledge. Having someone who is familiar with the residents escort you through the facility is a life-saver. They know the patients well enough to let you know who may have an aggressive tendency, who might bite or grab, and alert you to that before you enter the room. They will also know all the door codes to lockdown units and - if there were any issues, could be another set of eyes. If you plan to bring more than one team in for a visit, make sure there is an escort with each team; always err on the safer side.

Tips for a Great Visit #2

This tip is also very important during your pre-visit. The second tip for a great visit: #2 Determine who we will visit and if we are visiting a group or individuals. Make sure you talk thru a plan at the pre-visit with the activities director before you arrive the day of with the horses. Remember too, if you decide to visit this facility once a month that you can rotate visitors; one month a group visit, the next month switch to individualized visits. This way, you can visit with different patients and bring various horses. The residents always enjoy meeting new horses; but be prepared for residents to learn their names and ask for them the next time!

Check the Surroundings

When you get to the facility on your pre-visit, it is a good idea to “scope out the space”. At your pre-visit, discuss where you can park your vehicle and where they would like you to enter and exit. Many facilities will “cone off” an area the day of our visit. Typically, the activities director will have an area in mind for you to visit with their residents. Here are some things to think about when looking at a room (or patio area) for a therapy horse visit:

most of the group visitors will likely be in wheelchairs which will require extra space and the need to move around,

see how the sun or light exposure is coming in, and look for shadows,

point out any tight spaces,

take not of the flooring and/or plants in the room,

for patio area - look for grass, and

locate any medical equipment and placement.

Make sure to look for things as you walk through the building that might be new to your horses (ie: a bird cage) and add that to your training list. If you are asked to use an elevator, note the small differences between this one and others your horse may have been exposed to. For us, an elevator is an elevator; but for horses, even one detail that is different - makes it a new experience.

REVIEW AND MAKE IT CLEAR

When you’re finishing your pre-visit, make sure you review with the activities director the details of the visit. If you have decided the facility will have a group visit to start - that is the plan. Let the director know the type of visit determines the horses that you will bring so changes cannot be made. We are very firm with the idea that “The Plan is the Plan” and making changes at the last minute may mean that their visit will be shortened or canceled.

CAN YOU TRULY “POTTY TRAIN” A HORSE?

This is something that is a true argument between miniature horse owners. Before we start the conversation, we need to clarify a few details:

The idea of potty training. When people hear potty training, they typically assume you are talking about a dog. Where: the dog itself is trained to stand by a door or bark until you, the owner, pays attention and lets the animal out to go potty. The animals are signaling to the owner that they need to relieve themselves. The owner doesn’t need to constantly be on watch for signs.

With-holding food. For a horse to be healthy - they need to be eating 18-20 hours of the day. Otherwise, they develop ulcers and can have serious health problems. Certainly, if an animal isn’t given food - they won’t need any relief. But, for horses to be healthy… this is not an option.

Horses enjoy routine. If they are used to doing the same thing - chances are, they will get used to that routine and stick with it. That routine is developed and they know to relieve themselves in the same spot over a period of time; such as a special place in the yard or in the trailer.

Horses do not have the sense to “hold it” like a trained dog (and human) can do. They will just go. And handlers are always on guard to watch the animal for signs or signals.

Okay: so with these details… You can start to see why we believe:

Horses cannot be potty trained in the same sense that a dog can be potty trained.

Dog vs. Horse Potty Training

When an animal is “potty trained” they are considered to know that relieving themselves inside is bad, and that they need to alert their owner that they need to go. The owner can be doing other things, and will be alerted by the animal itself; there is no constant-following or supervision to watch the animal to make sure they don’t go in the house - since they are trained. With that explained; horses do not give a sign to their owner, rather, the hander needs to be on constant lookout to watch their horse for signs.

Here’s an example: I know when Wendy starts to move around after an hour of standing still during a visit, that we need to go outside to let her relieve herself. She hasn’t announced through pawing or nudging (signs she is trained not to do during a visit anyways) that she needs to relieve herself, instead I am watching for a sign. AND I know we have been on a visit for about an hour - the typical timeframe a horse will need to relieve itself anyways. So we go outside to the trailer and she relieves herself.

With-holding Food

Now, I’ve already mentioned how often horses need to be eating. We never-ever keep food away from the horses before a visit. There is always hay in the trailer with water in a bucket, or at least in a sealed container since certain horses like knocking over the water 😏… and they will always be offered water before and after a visit. (I think I nailed this one on the head now.)

Routine

Herd animals enjoy doing the same thing over and over again. Have you ever noticed horses getting bent out of shape when you feed at a different time than “usual”? The nature of these animals is to follow the same routine. So naturally, if they are used to the routine of a visit they will automatically learn that after a certain task is performed they continue to the next. Our pre-visit routine is the same each time: a) bathe the horses, b) let them dry in the corral, c)load into the trainer {cue relieving themselves, also because they smell it}, d) make the visit, e) return to the trailer {again, a cue to relieve themselves} f) return home and roll in the dirt. See: although the visit location of the visit may differ, the routine is always the same. Notice with the more veteran therapy horses… take Denver for example. When we put on a BunBag, vest, clean his hooves and brush his mane and tail he seems to “get in the mood” for the visit. He understands this is the same as always and has very trusting relationship with us. His head drops and he is ready for visitors.

But wait: You still put on a BunBag?

YES! We will always put a BunBag on. When we were first doing training visits years ago, we were getting so caught up and nervous watching the horse for signs that we couldn’t focus on the patient/horse experience. The bags are a security for us as handlers. Then, we don’t have to keep watching and honestly, stressing, to watch and observe the horse for signs they may have to go. Remember, horses can hear your heartbeat - so when your anxiety increases your heart rate increases and the horses will notice that and become unsettled with you.

Fun Fact: Horses only pee 2 - 3 times a day; However, they will poop almost every hour.

Also consider: if you are doing a visit where your horses are eating in the grass while visitors pet them - they will more than like poop during that visit. What goes in always comes out.

Always Remember: Horse are unpredictable.

You could think your horse is doing well remembering the routine of a visit, but something can always happen. Even our more experienced horses have pooped in their bag during a visit. Some horses are coined as “double-poopers” and we keep note of that. These are horses that will stress poop for various reasons. You just never know. And instead of constantly watching our horse for signs, simply leaving the relieving to be relieved; we can have a fun enjoyable visit with a built-in safety net for the horse.

We never leave the farm without a bag on, that is our policy. I take everything we came with back to the farm.

Horse Transportation

There’s been a lot of debate on how to transport minis during visits. For convenience sake, it’s very easy to park a van or 150 series vehicle in a parking space. But, have you consider the safety of these smaller “parking space” size vehicles?

Please, please, please:

… make sure you have some type of partition in your vehicle to keep your horse{s} secure in the back. If you happened to get in an accident, or you need to brake quickly, you wouldn't want your precious cargo coming thru the front window. Yes, the videos are so cute and go “viral” on Social-Media when a horse in the backseat. But take a step back to think about the ramifications; is it really that meaningful to get social “likes” instead of keeping animals’ safety a priority? Confession, we have put a horse or two in the back of our Subaru. But: what if we were rear-ended, or worse - had to stop suddenly; would anything be holding these precious horse(s) in my backseat. ….

Option:

We purchased a Ford Transit & a custom made box stall. The stall was secured in the back of the van by connection to the metal frame; keeping both horses & humans safe. The smaller (mind you, smaller than a truck and trailer) vehicle was easy to park - especially during downtown visits where parking was an issue. And, it was a nice backup incase something happened to the truck or trailer.

The purchase of our Ford Transit was at the height of visit demand. We were getting more requests than one team could handle, so we hired another handler and purchased this van. We could now have two different teams making therapy horse visits in one day! What great fun! With a growing team of trained therapy horses, we were able to make a difference in the lives of twice as many people as before!

Also something to consider: insurance

Some insurance companies would throw out your insurance if they find out you are transporting live animals in your back seat ... There are only a handful of insurance companies that allow transport of horses. Now horses in particular, in the back seat of your vehicle. Geico is one of them. But, make sure you call and talk to your insurance provider to make sure they are very clear that you are hauling a miniature horse in your vehicle, and that you have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both the horses and humans.

It comes down to personal preference.

We still find ourselves resorting back to the “traditional” mode of transporting horses - a truck and trailer. Yes, it can prove difficult sometimes and people don’t always respect your space. But - there is nothing more funny than watching peoples’ reactions when we pull up with this giant rig and out trot two barely 30” tall horses decked out in bows and vests. COME ON! Gets us every time.

Therapy Horses on Sirius XM

Do you have Sirius XM Radio? Then you’re in luck! Lisa will be on-air talking about our therapy horses and the special effect they have on all those we visit.

The deets:

Thursday, April 18th

3:00pm CST

Shark Farmer

SXM: Channel 147

Here’s a little bit about Rob Sharkey, taken from his webpage. To learn more about his podcasts & radio show, click here.

THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE FARMER:

ROB SHARKEY

Rob Sharkey, known in digital circles as The Shark Farmer, is not your average Illinois grain farmer. He’s a disruptor who is unwavering in his ability to directly address controversial topics.

Rob tackles life, alongside his high school sweetheart, Emily, knowing four smaller sharks in their school will be impacted by their choices.

With the hog crash of ‘98 in the rearview mirror, a turn-key outfitting business thriving, and a handful of acres demanding more time than is warranted, the only logical step was to launch a necessary - yet stupendously groundbreaking - podcast.

His provocative style parallels a story-based structure, which resonates with thousands of weekly, global listeners. Juxtapose his rough-around-the-edges persona with an unmatched ability to listen and relate to those spanning generations, time zones, and the rural/urban divide, and you’ve found the formula for an under-the-radar and out-of-the-box communicator.

Some of the most frequent questions we are asked are, “Would my horse make a good therapy horse,” and “How do you evaluate a horse for therapy?”. As easy as these questions may sound there is NO easy answer. You may ask yourself, “why is it so hard to answer such simple questions?” The answer will vary for each individual horse and its handler. The experiences and backgrounds of each horse vary greatly, as does the experience of each handler; it isn’t safe or logical to say that there is a set of rules to follow.

Just like you, I am in love with horses and find it hard to resist a new horse. The personality of any horse away from it’s herd and normalcy is harder to predict, and could easily change when in a new handler’s hands. Good breeders will keep the integrity of the miniature horse breed, have established personality and size consistency. I pick a horse because I like his/her coloration, I also have a list of reputable breeders who I work with who know the personality I look for.

Horse Age

There are pros and cons of choosing a horse of any age for your program. We have brought in horses like Annabelle and had her out doing therapy visits within 2 weeks of being born. Others like Denver came to the farm around age 4 and after a bit of desensitization, he was doing therapy visits after 6 months. You need to find a horse that works with your personality. If you can form a trusting relationship with a horse, age doesn’t matter.

Baby Horses

They are so irresistible! Okay, now that we have that established… A benefit of choosing a younger horse is the small number of handlers they have experienced. You will be their primary trainer and you know a lot of what they have been through. When they are young, babies are typically easier to handle and train. Remember, horses go thru a stage of "terrible twos”. Trust your training, don’t let temporary habits become normal behaviors.

Older Horses

A benefit of choosing an older horse is the maturity level. You can see more of their permanent personality. You are not the only person who has trained this horse, simply put - old habits die hard. A mature horse has history, various handlers and maybe even different disciplines. Do you best to find out how that previous training has influenced their handling and disposition now. Again, trust your training and be consistent.

Bottom line, a horse that is well trained with a tender hand will create a lasting bond.

Mares or Geldings?

We use mares and geldings equally in our program. I don’t prefer one over the other, and some of my best teams are mare/gelding duos. I do take into consideration who I put into the trailer. Some horses will react differently on a visit depending on who is with them. A lot of my time is spent watching the herd dynamic, who allows who to eat by their side. This determines who I can pair together. We always try to partner horses with their friends or other horses from their micro-herd to make the visit as stress-free as we can.

Wendy & Willie Nelson

The “Dynamic Duo”

Mare & Gelding

Annabelle & Red

Filly & Colt

Duke & Patches

Gelding & Mare

Toby Keith & Wendy

Colt & Mare

Dakota, Denver & Dallas

“Parade Boys”

All Geldings

Violet & Scarlet

Both Sister - Mares

Jet & Harley

Two Geldings

Willie Nelson & Angel

Gelding & Mare

Ruby & Violet

Two Mares

Denver & Dallas

Two Geldings

Dixie & Elvis

Filly & Colt

Patches & Buck

Mare & Gelding

Dakota & Dallas

Two Geldings

Susie & Wendy

Filly & Mare

Termination of Therapy Training

During initial evaluation of a horse for therapy work, two characteristics will immediately disqualify:

kicking out of aggression

biting out of aggression

This is a sign of how the horse will respond under stress and would require a lot of training to change that response. There is no guarantee the horse will ever improve. It is worth mentioning, out of aggression is a very different response than playfulness or mouthiness. Horses play games with each other by nipping at the others’ front legs. There is a noticeable difference between a horse bite and a playful nip.

Do your homework

Ask what type of training the horse has received,

Ask for proof of training,

Ask for videos of visits if the horse is a “trained therapy horse”,

Ask someone who knows horses to accompany your visit with a new horse,

Make sure there is a contingency plan if the horse doesn’t work out within reasonable time,

Use previous experience with horses, and

Use your gut instinct.

You could check off all your “boxes” and find a horse that seems fit for therapy but doesn’t enjoy the work he/she does. That’s okay! Therapy work isn’t for every miniature horse. Our goal is to place the horse in a program it thrives in - and sometimes they’re just beautiful lawn ornaments with excellent ground work waiting for their forever home.

Our seminars are very popular and have been given great reviews by those who have attended. Since so many of you have asked for addition dates we have decided to put together a very special set of classes that will be held only here in Ohio.

We are offering a specially designed class that will combine Level 1 and Level 2 with hours of hands on training and participating in an actual visit. These seminars will be held here at our farm in Hamilton, Ohio. The classes will be small so that each student gets plenty of personal attention and the ability to practice what you have learned. The classes are limited to 6 students and you will be able to work with our horses for all the hands on portion, you will also be able to experience our specific training methods for both horses and handlers. While you are here with us we will do an actual visit, you will be able to experience first hand what its like with our trained handlers by your side. You will walk thru all the steps necessary for preparing the horses for a visit, going on a therapy visit and a post visit evaluation. Our desire is for you to get a full experience in animal assisted therapy and gain as much experience as you can.

Miniature Therapy Horses Level 1

This portion of our seminars is key to understanding our philosophy to our program and how we approach all the training we do for horses and handlers. It is also created as a road map to help you walk thru the maze of question you might have in regards to insurance, setting up a visit, becoming a 501C3, training your horse, choosing a horse, becoming a handler, finding good products and a whole host of other needs. The Level 1 seminar will include a study guide you can take home that will contain pages and pages of all the information discussed in the lectures. The guide will allow you to follow along and take notes as well. we cover Level 1 Friday evening and into Saturday.

Miniature Therapy Horses Level 2

This course is designed to take all the information you gained in Level 1 and put it into practice. This portion of the seminar is hands on and will walk you thru the steps of choosing a horse, training your horse and preparing for the different levels of registration. It will also give you practical guidance when it comes to handling your horse for various types of visits. Both of these courses are key to our program and build upon each other. Taking these seminars will allow you to register your horse through our program free of charge. Level 2 will be covered Saturday with a visit for you to participate in and ending Sunday with more training and one on one training.

Dates for Seminars Level 1 &2 Hamilton, Ohio

Aril 27-29,

June 1-3,

August 27-29

October 5-7

We are excited to share our experience and expertise with those who are desiring to learn more about animal assisted therapy with miniature horses. We would love to have you participate as an individual or as a group. If you think this experience is for you or have interest, please contact us for further details.